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Google Hangouts video calls no longer require a Chrome plugin

Google Hangouts video calls will soon be just a tad simpler in Chrome. In a Google+ post, software engineer Victoria Kirst announced that in Chrome you’ll no longer need to download and install a plugin.

“Just click to start the Hangout, allow Hangouts to use your camera and microphone, and you’ll be good to go,” she said.

The update should be available now for users of the Chrome Dev and Canary channels; the public Chome release should follow “over the next few weeks,” according to Kirst. It’s a small improvement, but one that should make Hangouts just a little easier to use for newcomers.

Nick Summers is a technology journalist for The Next Web. He writes on all sorts of topics, although he has a passion for gadgets, apps and video games in particular. You can reach him on Twitter, circle him on Google+ and connect with him on LinkedIn.